KITCHENER GOES NORTH.

NZ Truth, Issue 245, 5 March 1910, Page 5

KITCHENER GOES NORTH.

AUCKLAND AT ATTENTION. More Honey-daubing and Backscratching. A Disgraceful " Demonstration." Wellington's Military^ Mountebanks Hooted. (From "Truth's" Special Correspondent). Auckland had sufficiently recovered from its licking' at the hands of the Australian eleven to turn out m great force to view ' the only Kitchener. When that warrior turned up on Monday evening m the van of a raree-show of notabilities and mediocrities, he passed up the serried ranks of yueen-street with a butehered-to-make-an-Auckland-holiday expression on his .well-nourished features. The city of muck rain was as enthusiastic as could be expected m the circs.— or, • rather, the .. inhabitants were— but there could be co possible shadow of doubt that Kitchener was bored to death from start to : finish— as well he might be. To begin with* the reception ( at the railway station was as tame as might be expected, and -toe reading of a prepared speech by Mayor Grey, who was more than ordinarily insignificant though garbed m his crimson robes of office, was a very wearisome sSair- On leaving the station by the ' lane into Customsstreet, the railway employes and Eatrican's assistants, who- were hanging on to parapets and window ledges, raised a cheer. The inevitable Knyvett • was a privileged occupant of the platform.,, tbe, death's head at the. feast and — for the nonce— reporter for an Auckland weekly. Turning into the main street, cheers) again ljroW out, but the Defence Council occupied a carriage only two lengths .behind the vehicle o«'-cup5cd by the distinguished guest^ and along the line of march (to the shame of Aucklandrass, be it said), the groans for Colonci Robin and the alleged enemies of Knyvett overwhelmed what would have fceert a gratifying welcome to X of K. Afe . the Northern Club' '.things | got no better, and' the . crowd hung round cheering r and groaning without apparent reason. The exhibition of ill manners is to be deplored, as it certainly will not assist the cause of justice m the Knyvett case, and any stronger disapprobation of tho severe punishment meted out to Knyvett than that exemplified at the various public meetings was unnecessary. .The glassy 'eye,' '"the -..chilly bac!r-bone, the iron nerve, and other boomed characteristics of Kitchener of Khartoum, •which hack-writers on New Zealand's drivelling day-lies have enlarged on during his .Dominion tour, had their usual effect on Auckland's swash-bucklers. To a man, each officah was unnerved, and Kitchener's dulled blue eyes could not have failed to perceive the mortal funk which had seized them; There were tbe usual muddles, and as KnVvett has got hold of Auckland like a thirst worrying a beersparrer, K. of K. must have really doubted the ' sanity of the inhabitants of the ■ village. K. of K. was sorely perplexed but no doubt has had it all explained to him that Auckland's show of hostility was not to the distinguished visitor, but to tbe Wellington military pantaloons that danced attendance on the. Big Chief, and who are held by the irritated <Aucklanders to be responsible for the Knyvett business, of which "Truth" is now heartily sick and tired. There have been In Auckland what the dailies delectably describe as "re.grettable incidents" during Kitch's. visit. These "regrettable incidents" have been glossed over m a shameful and slip-shod way, but m such a way that fails to hide the fact that a bitter" provincial fceliog has been • created by the military mountebanks of Wellington and their tactless treatment of a local military officer. Auckland certainly might have awaited another opportunity of ventilating its grievance than to rna^e Kitch's. visit the opportunity of displaying its wrath. Nevertheless, it was to be expected, and K. of K. cannot have been too favorably impressed with what he has seen and heard. In spite of the rain, enormous crowds went to the Domain to witness the Auckland military review, and the swashbuckling sv;abs who ran the show .were m a hiff^cv fim'c than ever, as thfv j feared porn-ar demonstrations. Tn a'Vi

tion to a strong force of policemen, soldiers were utilised for order-keeping purposes, and, presumably, if the worst came to the worst, would have charged with fixed bayonets, or fired blank cartridge ; m fact,- have done anything to •uphold the dubious dignity of the military poppycocks who danced m subservient attendance on the Viscount. The precautions to safeguard military dignity and preserve the equilibrium of overdressea, well-fed, pot-tummied ".'jogerg," were altogether unnecessary. However, not to be outdone by the magnificent bearing of a Field-Marshal, nor to be out-shone ' by the turkey-red and yellow gold trimmings of defence councillors, Knyyett contrived to keep himself m the public eye, and came to light, as a single unit, loaded below Plimsoll mark witty Boer War medals, and as a lieutenant of a Queensland South African contingent. He accordingly shone, but, happily, Aucklsnders were, m a sober mood, and though Knyvett got a cheer or two, due homage was paid Kitchener, who no doubt is glad that his (tour of New Zealand has concluded. Even politics have been introduced into the matter, because at, the dinner at the Northern Club, Mugwump Massey, leader of the land-boodling Opposition, was uninvited. Of this, political capital has been made m Auckland.